Don't Let Go

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

June 7th 2018

Lottie looked down at her phone nervously. Was she ready to do this? She'd been expecting for nearly two months and hadn't spoken a word to Niall since the night it'd all happened. "Okay Lottie, you just have to do it" She whispered to herself, before squeezing her eyes tightly shut and sending the message.

<Lottie: Niall we need to talk> Was all it read. With a sigh she leaned back, not expecting the response to come as quick as it did.

<Niall: k. when and where?>

All she could think was, shit. This was really happening.

***

Harry drove up into the parking lot of one of Louis' favorite restaurants, turned off the car and leaned over to kiss Louis' cheek, before unbuckling his own seat belt. "I'll be right there boo, hold on." He said softly, going around to the boot, and pulling Louis' wheelchair out. He set it up and then wheeled it to the passenger side where Louis was sitting, making little hum-like noises every few seconds as if he were trying to communicate.

"Alright babe, c'mere." Harry said gently undoing Louis' seat belt and picking him up with ease. As he was forgetting how to eat, he'd only manage small amounts so he'd been losing a lot of weight recently. Harry kissed the top of his head before carefully placing him in the chair. Louis looked around absently as Harry wheeled him toward the glass doors the restaurant.

For the past few years, all Louis would wear was sweats. That's all the man ever wanted to wear, and he'd have a fit if Harry dressed him in something else. Sweats were soft, easy, and for Louis they were oh so comfortable. Of course that was just fine with Harry, and he had a wide variety for Louis to wear. After all who was he to refuse the suffering man some comfort?

Walking inside, Harry felt a bit out of place looking around at all the formally dressed people, sipping at red wine at chandelier lit tables. Harry had worn sweats too, because he knew that if Louis was in the right frame of mind, he wouldn't want to be the only one underdressed.

The server gave them a strange look, but was polite nonetheless. "Table for two?" He asked.

Harry nodded, "Please. Thank you."

It wasn't until they had been seated that the server recognized the pair. "Harry?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Umm... yeah... how do you-" Harry cut himself off as recognition of this man flooded through his mind. "Luke." He said flatly, remembering him from high school.

"Yes, oh my goodness how are you? And Louis?" He smiled at the two, wanting to make small talk.

Harry could see he'd matured since their high school days but that didn't mean he wanted to talk to him. This was one of the people who had bullied his sweet lover for something that was entirely out of his control. "We're fine thanks. Could we get two waters to start please?" He asked wanting to get him away as quickly as possible.

"Of course!" He said, not so subtly staring at Louis for a moment, before walking away.

Harry sighed and rolled his eyes. "He's still an arsehole in my eyes." He muttered to Louis who just looked at him with a smile. Sometimes, for reasons that Harry didn't know, Louis would be in these happy moods where he would just be so content and smiley. Harry loved it.

Harry chuckled softly, and kissed Louis' lips lightly, before pulling out a menu. "What looks good?" He asked, trying to make things feel normal even though that was far from the case. "I was thinking the Lobster Bisque looked nice, or the Salmon Dish." He continued, and Louis smiled wider. He loved the sound of Harry's voice, it felt like home when he had no idea where he was or what was happening, Harry's voice was always there.

Luke returned with their waters and took their orders, and Harry gave him the death glare the entire time.

"How about some water?" Harry asked Louis once Luke was gone. He put a straw in the glass and held it up to Louis' lips, and Louis just sat there blankly.

"Like this." Harry said slowly, making sure Louis was watching, then bringing his own straw up to his lips, wrapping them around it and taking a sip.

Louis got his lips around his straw and it took about a minute, but eventually he managed a few sips. Then, thinking he was about to grab the glass, he put his hand up, knocking the glass out of Harry's hand and spilling the water all down himself. Harry didn't expect what came next at all.

Louis made the most heartbreaking sound and tears started pouring down his cheeks like little rivers. The thing that people didn't realize, not even Harry, was that Louis was aware something was wrong with him, even though he didn't know what it was. He knew something wasn't right. And sometimes, all it took was some spilled water for him to break down like this.

"Hey shhhh" Harry soothed, getting some napkins and cleaning him up. "It's alright, it's alright" He said gently, kissing Louis' forehead. After getting him as dry as possible, Harry wrapped his arms around him, holding him in a soft hug. "You're okay baby. Just some spilled water."

It wasn't just some spilled water though.

Louis forgot moments later that he'd even been upset at all, and dinner went as smoothly as it could from there. Harry managed to feed Louis about half of his meal before the man grew tired, and stopped responding to the bites Harry was trying to give him.

On the way out of the restaurant Harry couldn't help but overhear Luke talking to one of the other servers, who he assumed must've been someone else they'd been in high school with.

"You should've seen him!" Luke was laughing, "If you thought he was retarded then, you should see him now! He wouldn't say a word, and he couldn't even feed himself. Disgusting. Dunno how Harry would still wanna date someone like that, it's like-"

"ENOUGH!" Harry shouted, making it known that he could hear their conversation. "You've been cruel enough already, how DARE you talk behind his back like that?! He has an illness! A terminal one, and it's not his fault okay?!"

The restaurant went silent at Harry's outburst, all except Louis who was shaking and grunting. He was terrified. Already having no idea what was happening around him was scary enough, but when yelling was included, his brain just didn't know how to handle it.

Noticing Louis' fear, Harry raised his middle finger toward Luke and wheeled Louis out of the restaurant. "Once an asshole always an asshole." He muttered under his breath.

He knelt in front of Louis' wheelchair once they were outside, taking his shaking hands and looking into his hollow eyes. "I'm so sorry Louis. You're safe." He said slowly, "It's alright now. You're safe."

Louis though, had already forgotten what'd happened.

Louis fell asleep on the way home, and as Harry carried him inside he pressed a quick, chaste kiss to his lips.

He had to wake him to get him ready for bed, and he felt so guilty as Louis looked exhausted.

He was always exhausted now it seemed.

"Sorry today didn't go as planned." Harry said quietly as he brushed Louis' teeth and helped him to spit and rinse.

"I really wanted it to be nice." He murmured as he shaved the smaller man's light scruff.

"I hope you at least enjoyed it some, it was nice seeing your smile earlier." He continued as he changed Louis into fresh pajamas.

"It's been a beautiful eight years of marriage." He said, laying Louis softly on their bed.

"Happy anniversary sweetheart." He whispered, climbing in beside him. "I love you."

Thanks so much for reading!!! Hope you enjoyed! Please vote if you did and comment with any feedback!! All the love ❤️

Sunnie